The Banaskantha District Kelavani Mandal, Palanpur was established on December 12,
1961 with the aim of promoting the development of education in the District by establishing
various educational institutions.

In 1964, the Bansakantha district was awarded Rs. 3 lakh for its performance in
the Small Saving Scheme of Gujarat State Government. It was decided to invest this
amount in setting up an institution for higher education, and so the Arts College
was started in 1964 and Science College in 1965 on rented premises. A Commerce faculty
was added in 1979.

With support from the local government bodies and the Palanpuri diamantaires, the
construction of the new building began in 1983 and in 1986, the Arts and Commerce
faculties shifted followed subsequently (after the laboratory and other facilities
were built) by the Science faculty too. Subsequently each of these was established
as a separate institution.

The different colleges run by the Mandal on a unified campus are.

G.D. Modi College of Arts

Established in 1964, the College became a separate institution in 1984, and today
has over 450 students in the Undergraduate and Post Graduate courses. Affiliated
to the H.N.G.University, Patan, it offers a B.A. in English, Gujarati, Psychology,
Music, Drama, Painting and other subsidiary subjects such as Hindi, Political Science,
Sanskrit etc. The college also conducts Diploma Courses (with affiliation to Shri
Somnath Sanskrit University) in Temple Management, Jyotish, Pourohityam, Sanskrit
Sambhasan.

R.R.Mehta College of Science (1965) and C.L.Parikh College of Commerce. (1979)

The college has over 1000 students on its rolls at the Undergraduate and Post Graduate
levels. Other facilities include well equipped laboratories, a well stocked library,
a Boys Hostel, an Audio-Visual Hall, an Open-Air Theatre, a Sports Ground, as well
as a Placement Cell, Career Counseling and Scholarships.

The Mandal started this non-funded Law College in 1998 to meet the long felt need
for an institution imparting legal education in Banaskantha, with the help of an
initial donation of Rs 10 lakh from Banaskantha Mercantile Co-op Bank. The first
LLB batch graduated in 2001 after recognition from the Bar Council of India and
Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University.

A five years LL.B. integrated course and Post Graduate center in law, are proposed
to be started from the academic year 2008 after creating additional infrastructure
of four new classrooms and one mock court room.

Students in Palanpur got the opportunity to do computer courses when the Vardhman
Computer Center began certificate courses in computing in 2000 under the auspices
of the Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University.

Later, in 2001, the Bhanumatiben Kantilal Mehta I.T. Center opened and shortly thereafter
the B.C.A. College was established.

Enrolment for the three year BCA degree course is open to all students who have
completed Std XII. From 29 students when it began, the college now has over 250
students. Successful BCA students can enroll for a one year P.G.D.C.A. course from
2004. From 80 students at the beginning, the college now has 120 PG students.

Besides a well equipped library, the college has a computer laboratory with 250
computers, high end servers and broadband internet connectivity.

Late Shree Galbabhai Nanjibhai Hostel for boys

Started in 2002 the hostel provides boarding and lodging facilities to 25 students.

Shri B.L.Parikh College of B.B.A.

The college was established in the year 2007 and is affiliated to Shri Hemchandracharya
North Gujarat University, Patan. It offers a Three year full time degree course
in Management.

The college enrolled 75 students in its first year. Besides regular classes, there
are company visits, guest lecturers and student development programmes. The college
has a library and a computer lab with 80 computers.

Fine Arts and Arts College

The Fine Arts College was set up in 2007 in G.D.Modi Vidhya Sankul, Palanpur. It
is the first of its kind in North Gujarat region. It offers professional courses
in Drama, Music, and Painting to the students of this district.

The college also conducts Diploma Courses (with affiliation to Shri Somnath Sanskrit
University) in Hindustani Classical “Vocal” and “Tabla”.

There are a number or extra curricular activities including Musical Evening, Ras-Garba
was staged at the H N Gujarat University, Patan, a kite flying programme etc. It
hosted the University Youth Festival in December 2007.

If the barren, rocky landscape of Chitrasani has today been converted into beautifully
levelled green fields and meadows, with thick tree cover, then the credit must go
to the pioneering farsighted efforts and the dedicated work of the team that runs
the Balaram Saghan Kshetra Samiti (Balaram Intensive Area Samiti), Chitrasani.

Set up in 1958 by
Mrs. Vimlaben G. G. Mehta and
Mr. G.G. Mehta, the Samiti has focused on agro-industrial and educational
activities to transform the backward tribal area, and in training the adivasi youth
in the various institutions that it runs on the residential campus at Chitrasani.

Educational

The campus houses a Matrughar (orphanage), set up in 1970, a Primary and a Secondary
School, a PTC College, and a Women’s Rural School. The Samiti also runs a
kindergarten, ashramshala, an education and training centre for women, a polytechnic,
a centre for nutrition and a library.

Over 650 adivasi and backward class students avail of these facilities.

A special programme to teach Science and Mathematics was started with the help of
a grant from UNICEF, under which shibirs and short terms courses are run at the
Vignyan Bhavan to introduce students, teachers and officials to new developments
in the field.

Agriculture and Gramudyog

Over the years the 20 acre campus has developed into a model farm using a range
of modern agricultural techniques and machines, where both the students and the
farmers of the surrounding villages are imparted the skills and knowledge necessary
for this purpose. The Samiti also runs a model nursery and encourages creative and
co-operative methods of agriculture.

Rural workers are also trained in a variety of home-based cottage industries such
as ambar charkha weaving, tailoring, toy, flower and essence making, cardboard,
chalk and ink manufacturing etc. This helps to empower the women in the local communities.

Vimlaben, an ardent follower of the teachings of Gandhiji and Vinobaji, has done
outstanding work in the field of child welfare, education and literature for over
50 years.

Health

The Samiti set up the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust Rural Charitable Dispensary in 1969
which treats over 7000 patients each year.

It is said that great things have small beginnings, and the story of Lokniketan
at Ratanpur, 5 kms from Palanpur, clearly re-emphasises this truism.

Six decades ago, in 1948, Gandhian Mr. Harisinh Chavda, founder trustee of the institution
made his first padyatra in the tribal areas of Banaskantha. A decade later, after
regular interaction with the people there, he and a few associates from the Sevadal,
decided, after an informal conversation on the sandy hills of Balaram, to start
a rural educational institute to meet the needs of the people there. After a search
for the ideal spot, they settled on Ratanpur in June 1961.

What started on a small scale with just 18 students living and studying in rooms
with mud walls and thatched roofs, has grown in the last four and a half decades
to a massive campus on which a wide range of educational and social activities are
conducted in 36 institutions and catering to over 4000 students.

The institution has had its share of hard times, but was able to overcome these
with large donations from sources like Swiss Aid Abroad, Hari Om Ashram (established
by H.H. Mota), Mr. Kinsbergen, Governor of Antwerp and numerous Indian diamantaires.

With this backing, Lokniketan, Ratanpur set up a nursery school in 1969, an ashramshala
and Kanya Chhatralay in 1970, an Uttar Buniyadi Kanya Vidyalay in 1984, the Lokniketan
Mahavidyalay – Bachelor of Rural Studies, with boy’s hostel in 1987,
a PG institute, the Lokniketan School of Social Work in 2005, the Lokniketan Shikshan
Mahavidyalay (for B. Ed training) in 2006 and the Lokniketan Primary Teacher’s
Training College in 2007.

From the late 70’s the institution also began to set up branches in other
parts of the district and today has branches in Deesa, Vaav, Deodar, Amirgadh, Dantiwada
and Bhabhar talukas.

Besides education, Lokniketan has also been involved in agricultural development
through its agricultural centres, cow breeding centres, rural sanitation schemes
and a training centre in carpentry and smithy.

The main architects of this educational experiment, Mr. Harisinh Chavda and Mrs.
Pushpaben Chavda have not only spread education and knowledge but have also worked
to inculcate spiritual, moral and social values in the people whose lives they touch.

It is the nursery that has nurtured some of the brightest stars from today’s
Palanpur, with its students regularly getting high ranking merit positions (among
the top ten in the state) in the Gujarat State Education Board examinations, with
about 20% of its students from the Higher Secondary section getting admission into
India’s leading medical colleges, and with many of its alumni building successful
careers in different professions.

That’s the Vidyamandir Trust, Palanpur, which today runs 102 institutes spread
over 14 campuses, with a highly experienced and knowledgeable staff of 250 teachers
catering to the requirements of around 5000 students.

Started in 1948 as Shri Palanpur Shishushala, Balmandir and Education Trust with
the aim of providing quality education to the people of Palanpur, the Trust was
rechristened with its present name in 2006.

The Trust was founded by Late Mr. Kantilal Chhotalal Mehta and was made possible with the
generous assistance of three prominent Palanpuris. They were the Late Mrs. Kesarben
Amrutlal Raichand Jhaveri who shifted to a smaller house and donated the precious
Taleybaug property with a bungalow admeasuring about 3995 sq. yards, the family
members of Late Mr. Gaffurchandbhai Chunilal Mehta, who donated Rs.30,000/- and
family members of Late Mr. Surajmal Lallubhai Mehta who donated Rs.50,000/-.

On 16th August 1951, the Trust took over the management of Shree Jain Shishushala,
a Primary School meant for Jain children established by Late Shree Surajmal Lallubhai
Mehta in 1921.

In the early 1960s, Kanubhai appointed
Mr. Suryakant C. Parikh, an established educationist from Pune as the Principal
of Vidyamandir. Suryakantbhai ushered in many innovative changes in Vidyamandir
which enhanced the standard of education in Palanpur. His experiment of combining
modern and traditional systems of education in a very innovative way, made Vidyamandir
in Palanpur famous as a modern educational complex.

Over the years the Trust has grown to cater to virtually every educational need
of the local populace. The Trust runs English and Gujarati medium schools from the
kindergarten level to the Higher Secondary, and from the 1970s runs its own Teachers’
Training Colleges for the pre-primary, primary and secondary school levels. In the
same period, hostels were also set up for students studying at the different institutes
on the campus.

A special feature of the campus is Mamtamandir – an institute for the physically
challenged encompassing all four types of differently-abled students viz visually
impaired, orthopaedically handicapped, hearing impaired and mentally challenged.
Established in 1963, it provides vocational training to help the students become
self-reliant and become a part of the social mainstream. The institute has its own
hostel, computer lab, AV theatre, gym and workshops, and currently has about 300
students on its rolls.

Vidyamandir Trust has been at the forefront of change – introducing new technologies
and teaching techniques. For example, it first introduced computers to the students
in the 1980s and soon after incorporated it into the regular syllabus. Little wonder
that today it has as many as six computer labs with over 200 computers all connected
to broadband internet.

It was also a pioneer in the concept of integrated education where visually impaired
students study alongside normal students in the same classroom. This method, pioneered
by Vidyamandir in 1969, was later accepted by educationists all over India.

Another innovation is the education programme for children of rural schools that
lack basic infrastructure like a library and science lab. With its mobile lab and
library, the Trust ensures that these facilities reach around 8000 students in 56
schools in an equal number of villages. The promising students from these schools
are provided special coaching at classes conducted by the Vidyamandir teachers every
Sunday in the regular classrooms and labs at the school in Palanpur.

The Trust offers scholarships to the promising students coming from economically
weak backgrounds. A total sum of Rs two lakhs is disbursed among deserving students
who have completed their HSC each year.

Besides the regular curriculum, the Trust places great emphasis on sports and activities
in the field of arts. The Sports Academy of the Trust offers training under expert
coaches in 16 different disciplines and many of the students are selected to represent
the district / state in state and national level competitions. In the field of performing
arts, the Trust runs Kalayatan where students are trained in song, music, dance
and drama. The students get the opportunity to perform at functions held by the
Trust and also at competitions organized by government and private cultural organizations.

The Trust has other facilities like a state-of-the-art English language lab, separate
labs of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, a library that has more than 12,000 books,
a 600 seater auditorium and a beautifully landscaped garden spread over 4 acres.

Each of the schools run by the Trust has a strong Parents Association called Shivam,
a word derived from ‘Shikshak, Vidyarthi, Mata-Pita’. The association
works closely with the management in organizing cultural events, sports meets, education
tours, and parents are encouraged to be actively involved in the education of their
children and interact closely with the management.

Needs

The Trust seeks donations for

Construction of rooms in different institutions. Over 60 such rooms need to be constructed
and the costs range from Rs 40,000 to Rs 4,00,000. (In each case names as desired
by the Donors can be displayed over the rooms.)

These institutions provide basic education at all levels and in addition also full
fledged computer education and vocational training activity like sewing classes
etc.

Besides the regular curriculum, all the institutes of the Trust lay great stress
on extra curricular activities. The students are encouraged to participate in sports,
drawing and essay competitions and have won laurels at the district and state level
in many such fields. They are also trained for All-India competitive exams like
the Gayatri Pariksha, National Talent Search Exam, Secondary Education Scholarship
Exam, Sanskrut Brihad Pariksha, and a number of students have won honours in these.
Most recently one of the students secured the first rank in the National Language
Hindi Entrance Exam.

Students of the secondary and higher secondary schools run by the Trust have been
among the top 10 rankers in SSC and HSC in Banaskantha district in 2005, with two
of the students topping the district at the SSC exams.

After the country got Independence in 1947, there was an urgent need to spread education
to the rural areas, and help develop self-reliance. However due to their poor financial
condition, the people living in villages often found it difficult to send their
wards to distant large cities for further education.

In such a situation, Mr. Ratilal Tribhuvandas Shah, who had been born and brought
up in Malan village in Banaskantha district, and had later moved to Mumbai where
he had prospered in the diamond trade, decided to do something to help others from
his native village, and established the Shethshri Tribhuvandas Pethabhai High School
in Malan in June, 1962. The school provided secondary education to a large number
of students from Malan and the nearby villages.

Ratilalkaka was personally involved in the running of the school and on his regular
visits to the village, helped the school administration solve many problems. Subsequently,
his son, Mr. Satishbhai R. Shah, who was also born in Malan, but had migrated to
Mumbai for business purposes, continued his father’s work.

Today his family runs the following institutions in the Malan village:

Private Balmandir, Malan

Shethsri Ratilal Tribhuvandas Private Primary School, Malan

Shethsri Tribhuvandas Pethabhai High School, Malan

Higher Secondary School, Malan

Shrimati Leelaben Ratilal Shah - Playground, Malan

These institutions have nearly 240 class rooms that accommodate 1370 students. There
are modern computer facilities with around 40 computers and a laboratory with facilities
for higher secondary students.

Over 85 years ago, when the Palanpur region was largely a relatively underdeveloped
rural society with primitive infrastructure and a low standard of education, some
of the leading members of the community came together to set up the L.J.J. Jain
Vidyalay to provide boarding and lodging facilities to male students from the neighbouring
villages who were studying in the secondary schools.

At that time, female education virtually did not exist. But as families prospered
and the need to provide boarding and lodging to male students declined, the institution
was converted into a residential home for girls studying in secondary schools.

Today, it provides free boarding and lodging to over 170 girls studying in various
grades. They are given free uniforms too.

Over the years the facilities at the institution have also been upgraded, and today
the residents stay in newly built, well furnished rooms, and are provided wholesome,
nutritious food. A doctor who visits the complex provides medical care. There is
also a temple within the complex which the girls visit regularly.

The girls are looked after by Gruhmatas, who provide motherly love and guidance,
as well as impart values to make the girls self-confident and train them for future
family life.

The institution also runs co-curricular classes to provide extra coaching to the
girls, as well as a computer class to provide them with knowledge about computers
which has become an important requirement today.

Shree Ambaji Kelavni Mandal was established in 1983 at Ambaji in the Danta taluka
of Banaskantha district.

Shortly after that Shri Shaileshbhai Bachubhai Mehta of Shairu Gems gave the Mandal
a donation to start a school in memory of his father, Shri Bachubhai Mehta who spent
several years of his life in the town of Ambaji Mandir.

The school, known as Shri Bachubhai Dahyabhai Mehta Arasuri Kanya Vidyalaya Ambaji,
had humble beginnings with only 36 girls, but as it grew it has started primary,
secondary and higher secondary sections and now has a total strength of 1200 students.

The school works towards holistic development of the girl students and provides
them an opportunity to participate in various extra-curricular activities like dance,
sports, scouts/guides and vocational courses. The school also has a computer center
established in 2001.

Ambaji Kelavni Mandal started the Shri. B. B. Mehta Arasuri BCA College for Computer
Education in 2008. There are 50 students currently studying in this college.

Established as a small institution over six decades ago in the backward areas of
Danta taluka, Sanali Ashram has today grown into a large education trust doing exemplary
work among the adivasis of the area.

This ashram in the Adabij jungles of Danta taluka was established by Akbharbhai
Chavda, who dedicated his life to working for the welfare of the adivasis of this
region. At that time there were no proper roads in the area nor were there any means
of communication. However, being determined to succeed, Mr. Chavda overcame several
hurdles and worked tirelessly for several years in Sanali.

In January 1985, Mrs. Sushilaben and Mr. Ramnikbhai Mehta visited the ashram as
part of their programme to distribute uniforms to needy school children. Impressed
by the outstanding work being carried out in this most backward region of Banaskatha
district by the Ashram, they involved themselves in its activities for the next
several years, and remained connected with the institution until their death.

Mrs. Naynaben H. Mehta is now closely involved in running of the Trust.

Over the years the Trust has greatly developed its educational activities. It presently
runs: Rajmani Vidyalaya, Rajmani Higher Secondary School, Hostels for Boys and Girls,
Balvadis, Ashramshala, Buniyadi Vidyalaya, hostels and vocational training centres,
etc.